"Now Curly-tail and Spotty may be leaders and choose sides. When you are all equally divided, we can play any games you like."
"I'll choose Little-wee," piped up Spotty, and before many minutes fifteen excited little piggies faced fifteen other equally excited little pigs.
"Now, Spotty, what does your side choose to play? How many want to play hide and seek?"
Only two little heads nodded; so, of course, hide and seek was forgotten.
"How about Farmer in the Dell?"
This time every head bobbed up and down vigorously, and a merry circle, with Blacky-ears in the center,—for someone had to be the farmer, you know—sang lustily,
"Farmer in the dell,
Farmer in the dell,
Heigh oh, the derry oh,
The farmer in the dell."
And Curly-tail's chosen ones were not far behind, for even before the farmer could "choose his wife," a cheery, "Here we go round the mulberry bush" vied with the farmer-song.
Now Mother Grunty and Mother Rooty were not idle. Baskets had to be emptied of their goodies, fresh water had to be carried from the spring, and lemons had to be squeezed. It seemed to the two mothers that never before had such a feast been spread.